If someone asks which fort to start with in Maval, the answer is usually Tikona. It is an hour up, the steps are in good condition, and the summit gives you Pawna lake on one side and Lohagad, Visapur and Tung on the other. The triangular profile that gives it its name is visible from the road long before you reach the base.
A small fort with a busy history
Tikona, also called Vitandgad, controlled the Pawna basin and the approaches to the Bor Ghat. It passed between the Nizamshahi, the Marathas and the Mughals through the seventeenth century - taken by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in 1657, surrendered under the Treaty of Purandar, and recovered later. For a hill this modest, it changed hands a remarkable number of times.
The climb
From Tikona Peth village the path rises steadily, easy walking for most of the way, with a set of rock-cut steps near the top that lead through a doorway onto the summit area. Partway up there are Satvahan-era caves worth the short detour. The whole ascent takes about an hour at a relaxed pace.
On the summit
A Trimbakeshwar Mahadev temple, some water cisterns, and a view that is out of proportion to the effort: Pawna lake spread out below, Lohagad and Visapur to the north, Tung across the water, and the Sahyadri crest behind.
Best time to go
June to February. The monsoon turns the whole basin green and the fort is at its best then, though the steps get slippery. Winter mornings are clearest.
Combining it
Tikona pairs easily with a Pawna lake camping night, or with Tung fort across the water if you want two short climbs in a day.
Getting there
From Pune it is about 60 km via Kamshet. From Mumbai, exit at Lonavala and head towards Pawna dam, roughly 110 km. Kamshet is the nearest railhead.
Trek it with us
With Sakhi runs Tikona as a guided day trek suitable for beginners and families. See the trek details and dates.
